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Marcel Siem of Germany looks on during a practice round prior to the Amgen Irish Open 2025 at The K Club on September 02.
Veteran German pro Marcel Siem found himself at the centre of an unusually confusing rules situation during the opening round of the 2025 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. After a rough front nine and a back-nine that offered some recovery, Siem arrived at the par-5 18th hole eager to salvage something from his round.
Siem’s tee shot veered sharply to the right, into thick trees rather than out of bounds. Operating under the mistaken belief that the far right side of the hole was bordered by out-of-bounds, Siem promptly hit a provisional ball off the tee.
Later, spectators found Siem’s original tee ball, not out of bounds, but either in thick rough or a hazard area, and informed him of its whereabouts. At that point, Siem admits he was “tired of the whole day” and decided to pick up the original ball, deeming it unplayable, then continued playing the provisional ball.
What followed was a stroke-and-distance penalty on the provisional ball, a score of 6 for the hole, and, ultimately, disqualification after Siem realized during scoring that he had violated the rules of golf.
Siem’s Explanation and Reaction
In a video posted to social media later that evening, Siem was quick to deny that he had any intention to cheat. “I just wanted to let you know I didn’t cheat,” he said emphatically.
According to Siem, his misunderstanding stemmed from his belief that the right side of the 18th was out of bounds rather than a water hazard or hazard area; which would have demanded a different set of relief options. Hence, he hit a provisional ball, assuming the original was irretrievable.
When the original ball was located by spectators, Siem admitted fatigue and frustration clouded his decision-making. Rather than walking back to the tee or taking proper water-hazard relief, he picked up the original ball, declared it unplayable, and hit what he thought would resolve the situation. As he later realized, that was a clear breach of the hazard/provisional rules.
Siem acknowledged that he realized the rules error in the scoring tent and promptly summoned a rules official. His tone in the video was sober and contrite; he called the past two weeks “crazy,” but pointed out that, ultimately, “it is what it is.”
What Went Wrong, Rules-wise
The gist of the issue lies in a misunderstanding of hazard and provisional ball rules. Under the Rules of Golf, when a ball might be in a hazard, a player may hit a provisional ball, but if the original ball is found outside the hazard (or playable hazard relief is available), the provisional must be abandoned or the player must follow the hazard relief procedures.
Siem’s error, as he recognized, was playing the provisional ball after the original ball was found–even though the original ball was not out of bounds, and hazard relief options existed. By picking up his original ball and then continuing play with the provisional, he violated the rule structure regarding hazards and provisional balls.
Once Siem realized the nature of the rules mistake, the disqualification was the only outcome. In the scoring tent, after discussing with officials, Siem accepted that his scorecard could not stand under the rules and withdrew himself from competition.
Fatigue, Misjudgment, and the Human Factor
What stands out in Siem’s account is the candid admission that fatigue and frustration played a role. He said he was “tired of the whole day already” when he made the call to pick up the original ball.
This underlines an important reality: even experienced professionals operating at the highest level can make fundamental rules mistakes when they’re mentally and physically spent, or when they don’t fully confirm the lay of the land.
Golf is as much a rules-and-judgment game as it is one of power, swing mechanics, or course management. Golf’s rules are detailed, and unfamiliar ground, or misreading a hole layout, can easily lead to a catastrophic decision.
“Sometimes you can’t explain things in life,” Siem said. “All good. Have a lovely evening.”
Siem says he’ll be resting up and regrouping before heading to the Open de France next week (Sept. 18-21) to try and bounce back.
Alyssa Polczynski Alyssa Polczynski is a multimedia journalist covering Major League Baseball for Heavy.com. She has experience as an editorial producer for MLB.com and contributed to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). More about Alyssa Polczynski
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